Sicily

Ragusa

Ragusa is on the World Heritage List for its historic center. Back in 1693, the city was hit by a strong earthquake, and it is after the reconstruction of the city that the city has gained the status it has today.

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Ragusa in 20 seconds

Ragusa has something for every soul who love Italy and Sicily. This is for the modern and old town and the nice view over the city and the landscape around it.

This is pure love and every step you will take, you see an autentic livestyle in an italian way.

Ragusa is located in Sicily

Holiday in Ragusa

How to reach Ragusa

By plane from Catania

The city is approximately an hour and a half’s drive south of Catania. If you arrive by plane to Catania, you must drive on the E45 motorway and after just 10 kilometers you will already see signs for Ragusa. The distance is approximately 105 kilometers.

There are also airports in Palermo and Trapani, but it is a long way to Ragusa from these airports.

Trapani airport is 281 kilometers from Ragusa and Palermo airport is 301 km from Ragusa.

Visit Italy by train

We have a partnership with Trenitalia that makes it simple and easy for you to buy your train ticket online.

All you have to do is buy the ticket, get on the train and present the ticket with the QR code to the train conductor.

By train from Catania to Ragusa

It is a somewhat longer and more complex trip by train from Catania than if you rent a car and drive to Ragusa. The train journey requires a change in Siracusa, and here you can expect a waiting time of up to 2 hours before you can move on. Therefore, it can take more than 4 hours before you arrive at your destination. But on the other hand, you can relax on the train and enjoy the beautiful view along the way.

By bus to Ragusa

This is also a complex trip. Flixbus runs between Catania and Ragusa, but not every day. On the other hand, it is probably the fastest route you can find. But the buses run all the way, it’s just a matter of finding out where they leave from.

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Hotels in Ragusa

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Val di Noto

Ragusa is in an area that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. We are down in the south-east of Sicily and the protected areas are in Caltagirone, Militello in val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa and Scicli . In 2005, Siracusa and the Necropoli di Pantalica were also added to the World Heritage List.

The story of Ragusa

The reconstruction took place in the 18th century. The city was divided into two, one being the upper part Ragusa Superiore, located on the plateau and the other, Ragusa Ibla, which is built on the ruins of the old city.

The two districts

Ragusa Superiore

The district is not nearly as exciting as Ragusa Ibla, but it has something to offer, such as a nice view over the Ibla district. Here you must see the Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista and the Chiesa di Maria delle Scale. It is even more breathtaking when you must descend the 242 steps that go from Superiore down to Ibla. Here you really get a fantastic view.

Ragusa Ibla

You can already sense the Sicilian atmosphere when you have gone down the 242 steps and are about to “smell” the ancient history and sense how it has all been over the past centuries. It’s not that difficult. You get the feeling right away.

The main attraction, or one of them, is the Duomo di San Giorgio, designed by Rosario Gagliardi and built between 1739 and 1775. The cathedral is a beautiful illustration in Baroque style and is situated high above the many steps that lead down to the sloping piazza.

It is precisely from this piazza that you can start your evening passeggiata and enjoy the atmosphere. Be sure to turn down the small streets, where you can get a nice view of the valleys.

Gastronomy in Ragusa

Remember to taste the fine chocolate biscuits, biscotti mpanatigghi, which are a popular dessert in these parts. I can also recommend the wines from the area, Cerasuolo di Vittorio, l’Ambrato di Comiso and Albanello.

This is Ragusa and you will fully understand why the city is on the World Heritage List.